M4A3E4

_YugoSlav · July 20, 2023, 6:38am

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M4A3E4

History and Description

Following the end of Soviet tank deliveries in 1948, the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) received 599 M4A3E4 Sherman tanks as part of the Mutual Defense Aid Program (MDAP) from the United States. These tanks were essentially M4A3(75) Shermans with wet ammo stowage and VVSS suspension up-gunned with 76 mm M1A1 guns. Upon Yugoslavia’s withdrawal from MDAP in 1958, many problems arose in the maintenance of these tanks, as the Yugoslav industry failed to obtain a license to produce spare parts. Several modifications were unsuccessfully attempted to extend their service in the following years, notably M-634 and SO-122. By 1966, overhaul facilities had stopped servicing M4A3E4 tanks and on December 26, a commission was formed to oversee the withdrawal of these tanks from the JNA. It had to be a gradual process because tanks still made up a significant part of armored units. 261 of the 597 available tanks were proposed for scrapping, mostly those in the worst condition, but also some working ones for spare parts. On March 1, 1968, 18 Shermans were sent as range targets to the training grounds at Krivolak, Slunj, Nabrdje, and Manjača. As the JNA criteria said nothing was old enough to be scrapped, several Shermans were assigned to Territorial Defense units. The tanks were not used during the Yugoslav wars, but some of them ended up as decoys in Kosovo during the 1999 war. It’s worth noting that a collection of these tanks served as movie props in several Yugoslav and foreign movies, the most famous being “Kelly’s Heroes” from 1970.

Specifications

Essentials
- Length; 6.20 m
- Width; 2.60 m
- Height; 3.30 m
- Mass; 32 t
- Crew; 5
Protection
- Armor;
  - hull: 13-64 mm,
  - turret: 25-89 mm
- APS; N/A
- ERA; N/A
- Smoke; N/A
Mobility
- Engine; Ford V8-cylinder, type GAA-III, 500 hp at 2600 rpm
- Power/weight; 14 hp/t
- Top speed; 42 kph
- Amphibious; No
Firepower
- Main; 76 mm M1A1 gun
  - 71 rounds in total
  - Stabilizer; Single-plane vertical
- Secondary; 7.62 mm M1919A4 machine gun
  - Penetration at 10 m; 13 mm
  - Fire rate; 500 shots/min
  - Belt capacity; 250 rounds
- Supplementary; 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun
  - Penetration at 10 m; 31 mm
  - Fire rate; 577 shots/min
  - Belt capacity; 200 rounds